Hi hackers,

I’m Nik, and I’ve been working on an online tool to help homeowners estimate the cost of window replacement projects and local contractors find people who need their help.

The idea originated from working with contractors and observing the frustration in the industry—both homeowners and contractors often face challenges with existing services like Angi’s List and alikes.

The Problem:

1/ Lack of Transparent Pricing: Homeowners struggle to get rough estimates without going through time-consuming consultations and sales calls.

2/ Industry Frustrations: Many contractors are dissatisfied with current platforms due to poor service quality and lead generation issues.

3/ Inefficient Processes: Contractors deal with manual lead processing, which isn’t scalable while homeowners usually have to default to big national brands, overpay, and overstress.

My Solution:

-A web-based calculator that provides rough price estimates for window replacement projects in New York and California (for now).

-User Privacy: The calculator respects user privacy and doesn’t initiate sales calls without explicit consent at the end of the process.

-AI-powered process: I want to empower homeowners to get the most out of this process by incorporating AI chat that is trained on home improvement jobs to guide users through the journey and initiate sales conversation when they consent.

Why I’m Posting:

I’m looking to gather feedback from the community on:

1) The Concept: Does this tool address your real needs? Are there aspects I’m overlooking?

2) User Experience: Is the calculator intuitive and user-friendly? If you had to deal with a window replacement project before, how useful is this for you? what would you like to add?

3) Industry Insights: For those familiar with the home improvement or contracting industries, what challenges should I anticipate? If there were tools and processes in the industry you wish existed, what would they be?

4) Scalability Suggestions: Thoughts on efficiently verifying leads and distributing them to contractors without overcomplicating the process.

Link to the Tool: www.zenhomeservice.com

Additional Context:

Current Focus: The tool currently offers rough estimates to help users plan their projects. Detailed quotes and contractor connections will be considered in future iterations.

Mid-Term Vision: I aim to improve the window replacement experience for both homeowners and contractors by streamlining the estimation and lead distribution processes.

I’d greatly appreciate any feedback, suggestions, or critiques. I’m particularly interested in hearing about similar experiences, potential pitfalls, or any advice on moving forward.

Thank you!